Good DVD Recorder with internal hard drive at reasonable price

[geek2330]

this is not for my pc but for my tv, I currently save movies into an external drive and the file format is .TS

Converting this format and finally burning onto dvd takes too much time and am looking for something simpler/easier.

In the 200 bucks range (hopefully lower....lol) I need to get a dvd recorder for my tv with internal hard drive, something like 160/200 MB drive should be ok, but most likely my plan is to burn the movies/programs right away to a dvd while being shown on the tv.

The unit should upscale to 1080 and have HDMI input/output.

Looking for suggestions on something reliable.....

[samijubal]

I just bought a new Toshiba 160gig on Ebay yesterday for the price you state. Can't beat the Toshibas for PQ and record/playback options. It doesn't upconvert. My experience has been that upconverting players/recorders are a waste of time. I've been through half a dozen HDTVs, all of them upconverted better than any player/recorder I've seen except the Toshiba HD-DVD player which was very slightly sharper.

[geek2330]

what model and the total $ you paid?

[wabjxo]

You didn't mention digital tuners, but for $199-248, you can get a Philips DVDR3575 or 3576 that also meets all your other requirements, plus some you might not be thinking about... read the #1 article in the list when you click my signature... lots of other organized info there also.

[samijubal]

RD-XS35 $199 with free shipping. I can get a 3 year warranty from Square Trade for another $24. If I wasn't stupid and forgot I could have used Live Search and saved $50 getting the recorder for $150.

[geek2330]

all in all and picture quality, between the Hitachi and Phillips, which one gets ahead in pros?

[samijubal]

Where do you see a Hitachi? Toshiba has the best PQ of any recorder made. TheToshiba HDD recorders are top-of-the-line. There's no recorder made with as many options for playback/record/menus as the Toshiba unless it's Pioneer.

[geek2330]

opps, I meant Toshiba, not Hitachi.....lol

[wabjxo]

Toshiba has the best PQ of any recorder made.

The Philips 3575 or 3576 has the best PQ of any recorder made... or even thought about but not yet made!

And I should know cuz I've tested EVERY recorder ever made on this planet, and even some my relative sent me from Alpha Centauri in the Crab Nebula!

[geek2330]

RD-XS35 $199 with free shipping. I can get a 3 year warranty from Square Trade for another $24. If I wasn't stupid and forgot I could have used Live Search and saved $50 getting the recorder for $150.

cheapest I saw is $219.....

[geek2330]

one more question, where are these recorders made? I hope NOT in China.....

[wabjxo]

one more question, where are these recorders made? I hope NOT in China.....

Your current choices are China or Malaysia (some Panasonics).

[samijubal]

DVD recorders have been MIC for a long time now. The price of the Toshibas fluctuates. Look through the completed listings and you'll get an average price they sell for. I've seen people get some incredible deals.

[davideck]

IMO, the editing and authoring capabilities of the Toshiba HDD/DVD Recorders should not be overlooked. The ability to create playlists makes all the difference. Various chapters from various titles can be assembled into any number of custom playlist titles without deleting, adding, or reencoding any actual video. Multiple playlists can then be authored to a DVD, providing a nice finished product right out of the machine.

The older RD-XS52/KX50 has HDMI out with 480P, 720P. and 1080i upconversion.

[samijubal]

If you buy a recorder on Ebay and plan on buying an extended warranty, it has to be new to get 3 years, if it's used you only get a year. My experience with DVD recorders over a 7 year period is they don't last too long with heavy use. If only moderately used they hold up considerably better. YMMV

I have the KX50. It's a great recorder but doesn't do RWs. I mostly use RWs and load them into the PC to author. 160gigs goes fast when recording multiple TV series, especially older syndicated series that aren't aired in order. I record them to RWs and load them in the PC where I've got multiple HDDs and wait until I get enough episodes in order to burn to DVD.

[Marvingj]

I'm not trying to promote anything, But for the price the Emerson EWF-100 is great. So Hate me I don't care that deck is good! So if you don't like my reply I have some extra fingers!!!

[lordsmurf]

Toshiba machines were great, could even improve quality of older VHS sources due to filters. As long as condition is good, no need to waste money or a warranty (people overbuy warranties).

Newer Philips 3575 / 3576 cannot clean video, but can make pretty much perfect DVDs from the digital or analog tuners, or from clean sources like DV.

Pricing ranges from $200-300 for both.

[samijubal]

From someone that's been cashed out on a DVD recorder warranty, I don't agree about them. I use my recorders heavily. I've never had one last 3 years yet, except the first recorder released in the U.S. that cost me $1000. For $8 a year, it's definitely worth buying a warranty.

[geek2330]

thanks guys for all replies, this gives me good info to do the math, at the end I just need a dvd burner capable of burning good movies and that has an internal hdd (with upconvertion capabilities..).

thanks again,

[samijubal]

Unless your TV has poor upconversion, I haven't seen one yet that does but they might exist, you won't get any benefit out of an upconverting recorder.

[davideck]

Newer Philips 3575 / 3576 cannot clean video, but can make pretty much perfect DVDs from the digital or analog tuners, or from clean sources like DV.

It may not clean in terms of noise reduction, but in terms of timebase correction, the Philips DVD Recorder is exceptional. Much better than the JVC. Better than the Datavideo external TBC. Even better than the Toshiba. As good as the internal TBCs in the JVC and Panasonic VCRs. Unstable tapes played on conventional VCRs would greatly benefit from this performance.

[samijubal]

How does the remote sensor work on that Philips recorder? I've got a Philips player I use for PAL DVDs, it's got the most pathetic remote sensor I've ever seen. No matter what remote I use, the one that came with the player or a number of different universals, they have to be pointed right at the player at about the same height to work. I can point the universals basically any direction in the room, even at the floor, and operate everything but the Philips.

[wabjxo]

deleted

[samijubal]

I wouldn't call that normal. I don't own anything besides the Philips that I can't point the remote whever I want and make it work and I own a lot of electronics. It's annoying after getting used to just pressing the remote keys and not having to worry about where it's pointed to actually have to hold the remote up and right at the player to make it work. Even with the universals I have that use 2 and 3 LED emitters.

Good thing I didn't buy a Philips recorder, there's no way it would work for me. My remote extenders are way off to the side of the satellites and DVD recorder. It's never been a problem with anything I've owned but it sounds like the recorder is pretty close to or the same as the player, it would never work. I usually start/stop recording from a back room, the recorder and satellites are in the living room.

[KeepItSimple]

IMO, the editing and authoring capabilities of the Toshiba HDD/DVD Recorders should not be overlooked. The ability to create playlists makes all the difference. Various chapters from various titles can be assembled into any number of custom playlist titles without deleting, adding, or reencoding any actual video. Multiple playlists can then be authored to a DVD, providing a nice finished product right out of the machine.

I like my Toshiba RD-XS35 for all the reasons davideck states. I couldn't have said it better!
I also have a Philips 3575 and that works great too for everyday recording.
I save the Toshiba for VHS transfer and use the Philips as my "daily driver". That way I don't wear either of them out.
Buy 'em both!

[joecass]

You guys that are experts with Toshiba and Philips DVD recorders, kindly answer a dumb question.... on my Toshiba
RD-SX32, there are many options for Noise Reduction, but it's not clear whether the machine records incoming
signals with this type of processing, or is the noise reduction done = post recording ? Same question applies
toward Philips DVDR-3575H, there are small options on the Toolbar for Noise Reduction, is it reducing noise
on recording or playback only ?? I know on my Sony machines, I used to record analog cable onto DVD's using
the excellent noise reduction features, and if I play said disc on a standard DVD player, the noise reduction is
quite evident..... as analog cable I get is pretty noisy. Same could be said of transferring VHS to DVD with a Sony...... the noise reduction circuitry does a wonderful job enhancing VHS tapes. So, I know for sure how the
Sony's work, not sure about the Toshiba and Philipps.....?

[samijubal]

Toshiba recorders have noise reduction on the play/record sides both. There's one type for record with 2 different settings and 3 different types of reduction for playback. They have to be turned on in the setup menus.

Go here, select your recorder and look at pages 158 & 162 for explanations of both:
http://support.toshiba.ca/support/ceg/manuals/#

[robjv1]

I have heard this mentioned several times now and would love it if someone could provide some examples. I have yet to try it myself, although I am planning on giving it a go with some problem tapes this weekend, but I would love to see some short before/after type video clips.

It may not clean in terms of noise reduction, but in terms of timebase correction, the Philips DVD Recorder is exceptional. Much better than the JVC. Better than the Datavideo external TBC. Even better than the Toshiba. As good as the internal TBCs in the JVC and Panasonic VCRs. Unstable tapes played on conventional VCRs would greatly benefit from this performance.

[davideck]

I provided images in this thread comparing horizontal jitter reduction. The Philips DVD Recorder performance is most similar to the "JVC 7600 with TBC On" image.

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic289311-60.html#1450793

[robjv1]

Very interesting! I would love to see video clips to accompany this.

I have a Canon Elura 100 Mini-DV with 1394 analog pass through. Does anybody know what kind of performance one could expect from it?